Projectile



R. E. JON ES PROJECTILE Dec. 27, 1932.

` Filed Nov. 6, 1931 IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY AHH I I II.-

h E LIUHES Kal Patented Dec. 27, 1932 RALPH E. JONES, OF THE UNTED STATES .AR-MY, FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND PROJECTILE Application filedv November 6, 1931. Serial No. 573,454.

rear end isclosed by the base 5. The head and the body are formed with a plurality of annularly spaced ngers or prongs, preferably three on each member, designated respectively a. and Z).- The lingers are disposed parallel to the axis of the members and also disposed towards one another, that is one set rearwardly and one set forwardly, so that they may be interfitted upon relative axial movement. When thus assembled the head and body cooperate. to provide a completely closed container. As shown in Fig. 3 the ger Zone and be sufficiently destructive to in- HgGI-S (l have a Slightly greater radial thickness and a slightly less circumferential width capacitate the vehicle and its crew. A suitable projectile of this character is an exthan the fingers b, for a purpose that will ap- :ear hereinafter.

plosive shell but inasmuch as it requires a l fuse it must be of a relatively large caliber, and must be discharged from a correspondingly large weapon.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a small caliber, non-eX- plosive bullet that will separate into a large number of pieces when it has penetrated armor plate. The bullet may be discharged from a small light weapon that may be easily transported and readily employed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved projectile, taken on the line l-l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the component parts of the projectile casing prior to assembly. 45 Fig. 3 is a detail 3-3 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing reference:

The projectile comprises a solid armor- 51 piercing head A and a hollow body B whose (GRANTED UNDER THE lAGT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or. for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

5 This invention relates to a projectile and more particularly it has reference to an armor-piercing bullet.

In establishing a defense against armored vehicles itis necessary to provide projectiles that will penetrate the armor, and preferably such projectile, after penetration, should be capable of affording a large dan- Within the projectile there is placed a core consisting of a plurality of equal segments, preferably twelve, and of such length that they will fit between the base and the head A. By virtue of the differences in width of fingers a and b the segments 6-6 in pairs will extend circumferentially beyond vthe inner edges of each finger a, and the segments 7--7 alternately placed in pairs, will corre-1 spcndingly be of less peripheral width than the inside of the fingers b. Also by virtue of the difference in thickness of the fingers a, and Z1 the radius of the segments 7 will exceed the radius of the segments 6.

in assembling the projectile the segments 7 have a moderately close fit against the inside of the body B and lingers Z) that is sufiicient to insure the assembly of the. projectile under ordinary circumstances, yet not so close as to require a great amount of force to withdraw them from the body. On the other hand the segments 6 have an extremely close fit with respect to the fingers a of the head A.

The forward portion of the external wall of the body B is gradually reduced in diameter as at 8 to provide a shoulder 9. A rotating band 10 is placed in an annular groove 11 in rear of the shoulder 9 and projects beyond the wall of the body B for the usual purpose of taking the rifling of a gun and thereby iinparting rotation to the projectile. The rear portion of the head A, designated at 12, constitutes a bourrelet for centering and guiding and it is to be understood that where the sectional view on the line by character of metal of the head rifling a band of applied ner.

When the projectile is red from a gun r0- tation is imparted to the hollow body B by the rotating band and the head A also rotates therewith by virtue of the interengagement of the lingers ct and b and the segments 6 and 7. lVhile the segments and particularly the segments 6 are fitted tightly the forces of inertia during rotation they would still rotate despite any loeseness because the segments7 overlap theA lingers a.

When the projectile penetrates armor, the friction of the armor against the'body B and the engagement' of the armor with the shoulder 9 and rotating band l0 will cause the body B to be stripped from the head A which continues on its flight at a reduced velocity. 'The rotation ol? the head A `and its tightly held segments 6v will' rotate the segments 7 and Carry them al-'ong'until they are free of the body, whence they will be thrown clear due is unsuited to contact the appropriate metal may be at this point in any approved manto the action of centrifugal' force. When the head A strikes some substantial element in the interior of the tank or the oppositerwall the shock of' impact will cause the segments 6 to= separate from the head. The twelve segments thus released will correspond to fragmentation of an explosive shell.

` I claim..

1. A projectile comprising a head having spaced rearwardly extending lingers, a hollow body having spaced forwardly Vvextend` ing lingers adapted to lit between the lingers of the head', the fingers on the body being of greater width and less thickness than the lingers on the head, a plurality oli' segments of equal width within the body and the interitted lingers, alternate pairs of segments having a moderately close contact with the body a-nd an extremely close contact with the fingers of the head. v-

2. A projectile comprising a head having spaced rearwardly extending fingers, a hollow body having spaced forwardly extending fingers adapted to fit between the lingers of the head, the fingers on the body being-of `greater width and less thickness than the lingers on the head, a plurality of segments of equal width within the body and thev interfitted fingers, some olf the segments closely contacting the fingers ofthe head and the remaining segments less closely contacting the body.

3. A projectile comprising a head having spaced rearwardly extending lingers, a hollow body having spaced forwardly extending lingersl adapted to lit between the fingers of the head, the lingers on the body being of greater width and less thickness than the fingers on the head, a plurality of segments of equal width within the body and the inenough to overcome terlitted lingers and contacting the Wallsy thereof.

4. A projectile comprising a head having-.f

gers on the head,and a plurality-'of within the body and interitted lingers. 5.A A projectile comprising a head havin spaced rearwardly extending fingers, a holg low body having spaced forwardly kextendi lingers adapted to fit. betweenthe. fingers [dg the head, and a plurality of segments the body and interlitted lingersi...

6. A projectile.- comprising' ay head-famili.

within .il

body, interlitting parts onthehead and f a segmental core Within the projectileA a frictionally: holding they head and e bod."- SePara-bly held wenn .nl

and boaywfi-g gether, and a projection onlhe exterioirntj a separable'v i' Y .g RALPH E, JONES. Y j 

